Chapter 22: The Battle Begins
Author's Note: I got done with this chapter a little faster then I had expected. I hope you guys enjoy!
Professor Flitwick nearly flew through the corridors to the Gryffindor tower. He approached the portrait of the Fat Lady and spluttered a password. Barely stopping long enough for the portrait to open he burst through the dormitories and banged on Samuel's door.
"They're here!" he cried.
Samuel sat straight up and quickly donned his armour while at the same time knocking his brother out of bed. James hurriedly dressed in a similar suit of thin chainmail and ran behind his brother to the top of the castle. He found Elanus already waiting for him with an older man dressed in a blue surcoat with a metal breastplate underneath. The man was tall, and obviously battle hardened, his rugged face was scarred and a white beard hung on his chin.
"Elanus," Samuel said, shaking his cousin's hand. "General McGinty," he said, snapping to attention.
"At ease," the old man said. "We got here as soon as we could, the Department has very clever ways of bypassing magical security."
"I wasn't aware that the Order could be stopped by magic," Samuel said, half jokingly.
"That is true," The old man said with a grin. "Looks like you have a few hundred dementors out there as well as several dozen giants. Several things I haven't seen before either. There's probably three thousand creatures out there, and at least fifty wizards. What's the plan?"
"Hold them off long enough for the children to escape," Samuel replied. "We have several offensive strategies planned as well," he said, handing the general a scroll.
McGinty unfurled the scroll and raised an eyebrow as he read down it. "I would have never thought of this, it could actually work," he said. "Are you sure it's wise though?"
"We're vastly outnumbered," Samuel replied. "It's the only way I know to even the odds up a bit."
"We're at your service," the general said, handing the scroll back to Samuel.
"I relinquish command to you," Samuel replied, taking the scroll.
"Nonsense, I'll advise where needed, you know the place better then I do," McGinty replied.
Samuel nodded, "Wake the children, get them out of the castle. Do it in pairs like we planned," Samuel told one of the professors. Just as the professor was heading down the stairs, Dumbledore passed him and stood in front of Samuel.
"All is going as planned I take it?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes sir, the wizard slayers arrived last night, and our 'friends' are preparing as we speak," Samuel replied. "We're evacuating the students now."
"What do we do now?" Dumbledore asked.
"We wait until they make a move," Samuel said. "I'm sure our scouts are in place."
Gene made his way to the roof with a big grin on his face, "The catapults, ballistas and cannons are all ready to go, several sixth and seventh years are loading them now."
Samuel nodded, "What about the Broom Squad?"
"They're acting like a bunch of Air Force pilots," Elanus chuckled.
"Did you get them informed?" asked Samuel.
"They've been talking to Bill most of the night," Elanus said with a nod. "My men are moving as we speak as well. We'll position the broomers in a few moments."
"Looks like all that's left is for us to prepare to engage a messenger," Samuel said.
"I think we need Devine support," Gene said.
Samuel nodded. James, Elanus, Gene, McGinty and Samuel bowed their heads and the rest of the people on the roof followed suite. "Lord protect us, give us the courage to face our enemies and the strength to defeat them. We lay the battle in your hands. Amen," Samuel prayed and raised his head, the rest did the same.
The men began rallying and their spirits raised morale. Samuel headed down the stairs and to a small alcove in the tower. A few minutes later a professor ran into the alcove almost panic stricken.
"What's wrong?" asked Samuel.
"You know who himself is at the gates demanding to see someone!" the professor cried.
Samuel nodded and stood up and followed the professor up the stairs. He looked over the wall and saw a thin man dressed in black standing in the courtyard. Two wizards in hooded robes stood behind him, wands in hand.
"Hello there!" Samuel yelled.
"Hullo!" cried Voldemort in a sickly voice. "Send someone out now!"
"Alright!" Samuel yelled.
Samuel nodded to McGinty and Elanus. The three hurried down the tower and out the main gates and walked towards Voldemort and his two followers. Samuel bowed slightly to Voldemort, and the dark lord returned the courtesy.
"Come sit," Voldemort waved his wand and a table and two chairs appeared out of thin air on the ground. Samuel sat down in the chair confidently while Elanus palmed his wand.
"What can I do for you this fine morning?" Samuel asked.
"I've come on friendly business," Voldemort said, conjuring a few glasses and a bottle of wine. "It's a very good year."
"I don't drink, religious beliefs, you understand," Samuel said. "Though I wouldn't be opposed to a cup of coffee or a Pepsi."
Voldemort nodded and a steaming cup of coffee appeared on the table. Samuel picked it up and put the glass to his lips. Elanus put his hand on Samuel's shoulder.
"It's alright, what would friendly business be without a bit of trust?" Samuel asked, as he sipped the coffee. "This is very good. What can we do for you?"
"Straight to business. It has come to my attention that you are holding some of my followers prisoner," Voldemort said smoothly.
"I'd hardly call them prisoners," Samuel replied. "They simply broke several rules and we are detaining them for proper discipline." Samuel reached into a small bag on his hip and pulled out a box much too large to fit inside the pouch. He opened it up and pulled out the preserved head of the hydra he had killed months before. "Found this in the Gryffindor common room, found out these children summoned it." Voldemort's eyes widened in surprise then narrowed.
Voldemort shrugged, "I care not. I demand you release the children, and deliver Harry Potter to me, as well as the old man."
"I can't do that," Samuel replied. "It's just not proper, the paperwork would kill me."
"You have no choice, you're surrounded," Voldemort said, smiling thinly. "I don't want this to come to bloodshed anymore then you do. Be sensible, you have one hour."
Samuel nodded. "Well if you feel that way, you have one hour to clear out of here."
Voldemort laughed and stood up and walked away. His death eaters did the same. Samuel stood up and the table and contents disappeared. The three walked back to the castle.
"I could have taken his head off right then and there," McGinty said as soon as the main gates closed behind him.
"I wished you would have, would have saved us a lot of time," Samuel commented.
"I can't believe he's being somewhat honourable about it," Elanus chuckled.
"No matter, is everyone in position?" asked Samuel.
"Yep," Elanus replied as they went down a few corridors to Samuel's office. Samuel retrieved his hydra skin cloak and threw it around his shoulders.
"We've got an hour, make sure the students are out of here and in a safe place. This is going to be bloody," Samuel said.
"Should you get checked for poisons or drugs?" McGinty asked.
"Oh, probably," Samuel said as he headed off to the hospital wing. After a thorough testing Samuel proved to be poison free. The three went back to the tower and talked to the watch on top of it.
"They're moving closer, just as you said they would," Professor Longfellow told Samuel. "A few more yards and they'll be right where we need them."
"Anyone got a count?" Samuel asked.
"Four hundred dementors, seventy two giants, fifty three wizards and two thousand seven hundred and fifty various nasties we can't identify," Longfellow replied. "It doesn't look good.
"Well if they move where we want them I think we can remove a large portion of their ranks," Samuel said. "Are the children out of the castle?"
"Every one of them except the few that elected to stay and help," Longfellow replied.
Samuel nodded and looked at his watch. The minutes ticked by slowly until the hour had passed at which time Voldemort and his two followers approached the castle.
"Do you surrender?" Voldemort asked.
"Never!" Samuel replied.
"Then prepare to meet your doom, I give you one half hour before I tear this castle down!" Voldemort replied and walked back to his army.
"That was a mistake," Samuel chuckled as he went down the stairs and out the main gates followed by several professors. Shadows began amassing behind him taking the form of tall humanoid creatures. Samuel approached the dark army, sword drawn and his silvery cloak flapping the breeze.
"You come prepared to fight with tricks and illusions?" Voldemort mocked.
"I come to rid the world of your filth," Samuel replied.
One of the giants threw a rock at one of the shadow creatures Samuel had made. The rock bounced off the shadow and the illusions kept advancing.
"Surrender now, or be destroyed," Samuel said flatly.
Voldemort laughed, "Kill him."
One of the giants threw a spear at Samuel. The spear stopped short and fell to the ground. A bolt streaked from the castle and caught the giant between the eyes. The giant fell over dead.
"Charge!" Voldemort cried in outrage. The dementors and other creatures ran towards the professors.
"Advance ranks!" Samuel called out. The shadows charged into the oncoming army, mostly distracting and slowing the creatures down. Samuel raised his hand and lowered it. Hundreds of arrows flew from the castle, impaling many of the oncoming ranks. The professors cast the most powerful hexes they knew at the surviving creatures, who were stumbling over the bodies of their fallen. The power of their spells was amplified by the special wands they had been given. The dark army was taken by surprise at the power of the spells.
Samuel raised and lowered his hands again, and another volley of flaming arrows shot from the castle, along with several balls that made loud obnoxious noises as they flew through the air. Students on broomsticks flew overhead dropping things that exploded as well on the opposing army, aiming specifically at the giants. The wizards cast silvery beams of light at the dementors, driving many back, and obliterating even more. Several of the bodies started to pull themselves together and charge the castle.
"Disintegrate!" Samuel yelled.
Several of the disintegrating orbs flew from the castle, obliterating dozens of the enemy at a time. The dark army was cut down considerably by the constant barrage from the castle, and from the wizards on the ground.
"Fall back!" Samuel cried. The professors ran back several yards towards the castle and the enemy rushed closer.
"ATTACK!" Samuel cried as Voldemort's army rushed past the remnants of the stone columns. From the castle one hundred and fifty house-elves poured out, waving their hands at the oncoming army. The Death Eaters began floating high above the oncoming army, bound by the elf magic. The elves who weren't busy levitating dark wizards hurled fireballs at anything they could. Several dozen men armed with swords ran from the forest, skilfully cutting down the enemy in their path. From behind Obliviators, Aurors and men and Unspeakables advanced. The professors cast their most powerful dark arts repelling spells at the oncoming army. Samuel charged in, as did several other people that came out of the forest and surrounding area. Voldemort's army was all but surrounded. The real spectacle came when two fully grown dragons, mounted by Bill Weasley and one of his companions, flew out of the forest over the battle. Fire rained down from the sky as the dragons scorched the enemy. Occasionally they would swoop down and snatch up one of the dementors, ripping it to shreds. The dark army dwindled by the death eaters began breaking free of the elven spells. The house-elves fought their hardest. Things began to look as if they were turning in Voldemort's favour, and things were too tightly packed for the castle to do anything about. Wizard slayers and Obliviators fell but not without taking many of the enemy with them. The Aurors and Unspeakables were only doing slightly better. The dark army backed the main force of the Hogwart's army up only several yards from the castle itself. The dark forces were still surrounded though, and anywhere they broke through the dragons would finish them off. Voldemort and a few death eaters managed to fall back a ways through the use of a teleportation spell, unseen by the defenders. From a distance Voldemort and the death eaters that made it out began casting terrible dark magic at the defenders. Many fell, and the tide was definitely turning in Voldemort's favour but the defenders fought on. Samuel weaved more illusions as he could, the wizards making them solid. The broomers swooped just above reach and dropped exploding vials. They were quickly learning to work with the dragons, flying close behind and bombing after the dragon fire. Still their efforts seemed in vain as the dark army just kept coming.
The unexpected happened. Thousands upon thousands of huge spiders scurried out of the forest. They screamed curses on the "snake lord" as they swarmed over the wizard slayers and into the ranks of the dark army. The spiders devoured the dark army ravenously. Thinking quickly, the house-elves floated the death eaters out of the way and worked together, binding most of them and transporting them to the castle dungeons.
"Fall back!" Samuel shouted. The Hogwart's defenders fell back, regrouping behind Samuel. The dark army fought the spiders as best they could, but were quickly overcome by sheer numbers. Hundreds of spiders fell though to the workings of Voldemort's foul magic. The spiders retreated leaving a mere twenty of the dark army left. The grounds were littered with bodies, both those of the dark army, and of those defending Hogwarts.
"Surrender, Voldemort, or be destroyed," Samuel challenged, advancing on Voldemort.
Voldemort laughed evilly, "I think not."
Voldemort raised his wand and muttered an evil sounding spell. The defenders advanced, ignoring the dark lord's spell. The remnants of the dark army including two death eaters surrounded Voldemort as he worked his magic. They were quickly cut down and the Death Eaters subdued, and the house elves drug them to the castle.
It was too late. A rumbling was felt deep below the earth. All but Samuel fell to the ground unconscious. Samuel looked around to see his fallen comrades, just he and Voldemort stood face to face.
"You make a worthy adversary," Voldemort hissed. "But not worthy enough! Avada Kadavra!"
A green light shot from Voldemort's wand to Samuel. Samuel screamed in pain, dropping his sword. Then it was over, Samuel fell before Voldemort. The dark lord raised his wand to the castle and cast a foul curse. The castle began shaking at it's very foundation, dust began shaking out of cracks in the stonework, and soon small pieces of rock began falling inside. Voldemort laughed wickedly.